Album Review: FIDLAR – Self-Titled

Hardest working slackers in LA to release debut

Fidlar, a quartet of hard-partying musicians with a loyal local following thanks to consistent touring and performances, spent 2012 outgrowing house parties and becoming comfortable playing full-sized, sold-out venues. Those brave enough to withstand the rowdy audiences know that when FIDLAR headlines, there is no designated mosh pit within the crowd; the entire venue moves, dances, drinks, and yells along with the best of them.

After releasing a series of singles and EPs on their own over the last year, the band is finally gearing up to release their first full-length album via Mom+Pop on January 22nd. The self-titled record includes much of what fans have already heard the band perfecting onstage, seamlessly translated to a recording that features a noticeable improvement in sound quality, showcasing the band’s talent better than any PA can. Effortless surf/skate rock rings in the sounds of a little Beach Boys with a lot of The Black Lips and a dash of The Growlers with perhaps just a pinch of acid.

FIDLAR is openly previewed through its song titles; there are no riddles, mysteries, or hidden meanings. The album opens with “Cheap Beer,” a song that often appears on the band’s setlist and echoes their mentality of “I drink cheap beer, so what? Fuck you.” This is an exploration of an altered, substance-influenced state of mind, and it’s fun as hell.

High reverb on the acoustics, grounded drums, and full vocals led by frontman Zac Carper provide pulsating beats and a charisma that translates through the speakers. “No Waves” maintains a fast pace that would normally drown out the meaning and message of most songs, but FIDLAR repeats anything worth hearing, much like in “Whore,” a track on which I’m sure one gets the message after the first chorus.

As quickly as we drink to the album, FILDAR moves right into weed, cocaine, skating, Max’s inability to surf, and, of course, money (or the lack thereof). The album is pretty much the uncensored biography of a SoCal college student with an impressive amount of energy and an unparalleled motivation to have a good time.